Prepared By:

Om Prakash Paneru
Tanya Bagale Thapa

Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus

Ghantaghar, Kathmandu.
Department of Rural Development 1

August 17
 What is Agrarian Structure?

Network of relations among the various groups of persons who draw their
livelihood from the soil.
In what form income from the soil is obtained: Rent/ Fruit of cultivation/
Payment for labour.
What type of rights in the soil are enjoyed, and how much land is held under
these rights.
To what extent the individual actually performs the required fieldwork, or
whether others are hired to do it for him.

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 Social aspects of Nepalese Agricultural
system.
It is imperative to understand what is meant by an agrarian society before
understanding agrarian social structure. Agrarian society means the society,
which is predominantly agricultural. In other words, agrarian society refers to
the society that depends upon agriculture as its primary economic activity.
Agrarian social structure may be thought of as the characteristics of agrarian
society. Put it differently, all the things that characterize agrarian society may be
thought of as forming agrarian social structure. These things encompass
pattern of ownership of land, nature of distribution of land, modes of fulfilling the
need for labor force required for agricultural production, type of agricultural
technology, type of division of labor etc.

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Social aspects of Nepalese agrarian structure
can be shown by elaborating on the following
points:
Ownership of land: All the members of Nepalese agrarian society do not own
a land. For analytical convenience, they can be classified as land owning
members and the landless persons. Even among the land owning members,
there is inequality in terms of ownership of fertile and irrigated land. The rich
landowners own much of the total arable land in the country whereas the poor
landowners own small portion of the total arable land. This means much of the
land owned by the poor land owners are less fertile. Besides, it means that
there is lack of irrigation facility in much of the land owned by the poor land
owners.
Distribution of land: The distribution of land in Nepalese agrarian society is
extremely unequal. Much of the arable land is possessed by few; A majority of
the land owners own small amount of the total arable land. For example, 26
percent of total land owners own more than 61% of total agricultural land.

Agricultural technology: The technology used in Nepalese agrarian society is

predominantly traditional. Machines are not used for scattering seeds and
harvesting crops. Male cows and buffaloes are generally used to plough the
land. Improved seeds are rarely used.

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 Transitional phase: The Nepalese agrarian society is at transitional phase now. It
is gradually moving from the traditional agriculture to the modern agriculture and
from the subsistence farming to the commercial farming.

Labor force: The need for labor force is fulfilled in three ways-using the family
members, hiring people and adopting labor exchange known as parma. But due to
the tendency for Nepalese people to go abroad for foreign employment, now it has
become very difficult to fulfill the need for labor force in any of these ways or in
ways other than these ways.

Division of labor: The division of labor in Nepalese agrarian society is generally

based on age and sex. The division of labor based on skill and knowledge has yet
to be developed. In developed countries where agriculture is highly modernized,
division of labor is based on knowledge and skill. For example, those who have
knowledge and skill required for driving a tractor carry out the activity of ploughing
the land and those who do not have such a knowledge and skill do other tasks
depending upon their skill and knowledge. Such a division of labor in Nepalese
agrarian society is, for the most part, not found.

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 Social stratification: Nepalese agrarian society is highly stratified. There are three
classes based on land ownership-the landlords, the peasants and the tenants.
Influence of socio-cultural norms and values: Nepalese agrarian society is
influenced by socio-cultural norms and values to some extent. For example, division
of labor based on caste and sex is irrefutable evidence of such an influence. For
example, Brahman people do not plough the land; females do not plough the land.
The reason behind this is that social norms and values do not allow them to do so.
This division of labor is based on social norms and values at its core and it has
something to do with the Nepalese agrarian society.
Ethnic heterogeneity of Nepalese agrarian population: Nepalese agrarian
structure is characterized by ethnic heterogeneity. The people engaged in Nepalese
agriculture are ethnically heterogeneous.

Ecological diversity: Nepalese agrarian society is characterized by ecological

diversity. Ecological diversity has led to a difference in the pattern of agriculture in
three ecological regions of Nepal-Mountain, Hill and Terai. For example, maize,
wheat and paddy are grown in Hilly regions of Nepal. Paddy is grown in terrain
regions. Barley (jaun) and buck-wheat (fapar) are grown in Mountains.
Small amount of agricultural land: There is not extremely large amount of arable
land in Nepalese agrarian society. Only 18% of total land of Nepal is cultivable.

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 Decreasing demographic size of Nepalese agrarian society: The number of people
engaged in agriculture as their primary occupation is decreasing gradually. In 1991, the
people engaged in agriculture as their main occupation accounted for 81% of total
population; in 2001, it decreased from 81% to 78%. Now, it is estimated to have
decreased to 65% from 78%. Thus, the extent of dependence of the people in Nepal
upon agriculture is decreasing gradually as a consequence of economic globalization.

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